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Procedure

The R&C Worker within or prior to the anniversary month of the original approval as a foster or adoptive home completes an annual re-evaluation report:

If a non-SAFE home study was used to approve the family, the R&C worker:

Reviews the foster or adoptive family’s initial non-SAFE home study and subsequent Annual Needs Strengths Assessments (ASNAs) and documents the information that makes the R&C worker curious on the SAFE Harvesting Sheet, prior to scheduling a home visit;

Schedules a home visit to conduct a personal in-home interview with the foster or adoptive parent(s) and administers SAFE Questionnaire II;

After the interview, goes through the SAFE Psychosocial Inventory and uses the SAFE Desk Guide to assign Desk Guide ratings using a SAFE back slash (/); 1

Reviews ratings of 3, 4 and 5 and determines if the issues, behaviors or events can be Sustained, Reduced or Erased (mitigated);

Assigns mitigation ratings and places them in the mitigation column on the psychosocial inventory update; and

Completes the Annual Re-evaluation update report.

The R&C worker follows these procedures when a SAFE home study was used to approve a family:

Prior to scheduling a home visit, Reviews the foster or adoptive family's SAFE home study and any subsequent SAFE Annual Re-evaluation update reports to become familiar with the family, prior to scheduling a home visit;

Transfers the Desk Guide ratings of 1,3,4, or 5 (not 2s) and the mitigation ratings from the original SAFE Home Study to the Annual Re-evaluation Psychological Inventory in the column indicated on the inventory (e.g. 5/2- final SAFE Desk Guide Rating of 5 mitigated to a 2);

Schedules a home visit to conduct a personal in-home interview with the foster or adoptive parent(s) and administers the annual re-evaluation update;

After the interviews, completes the Psychosocial Inventory Update using the SAFE Desk Guide to assign ratings, using a SAFE backslash (/);

Reviews ratings of 3, 4 and 5 to determine if the issues, behaviors or events can be sustained, reduced or erased (mitigated);

Assigns mitigation ratings in the mitigation column of the annual re-evaluation update; and

Completes the annual re-evaluation update report;

In addition to completing the Annual Re-evaluation report, the R&C worker:

Receives notification from the Records Management Section, sixty (60) days prior to the anniversary date of the original approval, that background checks are due;2

Provides the Records Management Section with the names of any household members not listed in the notification;

Receives from the Records Management Section:

An in-state criminal records check on the foster or adoptive home parent(s) and each adult household member by the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC);

A child abuse and neglect check in TWIST on the foster or adoptive home parent(s) and each adult household member; and

An address check of the sex offender registry through the Kentucky State Police; 3

Reviews the appropriate documentation regarding:

Any change in the family;

The ability of the foster or adoptive home parent(s) to meet the needs of a child placed in the home;

Continued compliance with the SOP 12.15-12.17 regarding ongoing requirements for foster or adoptive homes;

Continued compliance with the SOP 12.13 Home Environment Prerequisites, including proof that each foster or adoptive parent and all other household members that drive, possess a valid driver's license and liability insurance;

Documentation that ongoing training requirements have been met as outlined in SOP 12.15 Ongoing Training;

Continued compliance with annual health screenings as required in SOP 12.3 #13 Foster and Adoptive Home Applicant Assessment Process; and

Information contained on the Annual Re-Evaluation Report Coversheet.

Interviews the children in the home (both biological and foster) to assess needs and assistance in adjusting to their environment;

Interviews all adults in the home to assess needs and assistance;

Discusses any referrals and foster or adoptive home reviews that have been reported on the foster or adoptive home during the last year and develops aplan for corrective action for the upcoming year;

Utilizes procedures in SOP 12.19 Closure of a Foster or Adoptive Home and Reopening as applicable;

Completes the Annual Re-evaluation report for Foster or Adoptive Families during the interview and enters it into TWIST documenting in the comments section any issues that need correction or missing re-approval items; 4

Upon completion of the annual re-evaluation report

If all requirements for re-approval are met, the R&C worker submits the completed annual re-evaluation report and attachments, including the Annual Re-evaluation Coversheet, to the R&C FSOS.

The R&C FSOS:

Reviews the packet to ensure all requirements have been met and determines whether continued approval is being recommended;

Approves the Annual Re-evaluation report for Foster or Adoptive Home Families; and

Provides an Annual Approval Letter (copy and paste into regional letterhead) to the foster or adoptive home parent

When the FSOS cannot verify that all annual re-evaluation requirements have been met, the FSOS approvesthe Annual Re-evaluation report for Foster or Adoptive Home Families; however:

The R&C worker submits the Resource Recommendation and notes that the family may not accept placements while on hold.

The FSOS or R&C worker prepares an Annual On Hold Letter (copy and paste into regional letterhead) to the foster or adoptive home parent; and 5

R&C worker develops a plan for corrective action with the FSOS and the foster or adoptive home to assist the parents in meeting foster or adoptive home requirements, if not already listed on the Annual Re-evaluation report.

Practice Guidance

Documentation including background checks should be completed , finalized, filed and approved in the anniversary month from the initial approval.

When a foster or adoptive home has an allegation of abuse, neglect or dependency made against their home, and the investigation has not been concluded, background checks must continue to be completed by the anniversary date of the original approval.

A contact note should be entered into TWIST, in addition to entering the Re-evaluation report, to ensure that the quarterly home visit requirement is documented.

If the annual requirements have not been met at the time of the interview, the R&C worker still checks the “Approval” box on the Re-evaluation report form, but documents in comments that the home has been placed on hold and the reasoning for it.

While the home is on hold, no new placements can be accepted and the status will remain active in iTWIST.

The training record submitted with the AS/N assessment must be a current record of trainings the foster or adoptive parent has completed. A printout of trainings the parent has registered for, but not completed, will not suffice.

It is best practice for the R&C worker to contact the SSW for the children placed in the foster or adoptive home (either by written correspondence or by telephone) to discuss any issues, questions or concerns regarding the foster or adoptive family.

The date of the approval letter and the approval date of the annual strengths/needs assessment should be the same.

The foster or adoptive recommendation must be completed and approved in the month of the original approval.

The SSW should upload to iTWISTacopy of the annual re-evaluation report for families.

Related Information

iTWIST Provide Ongoing Recommendation Information

The annual recommendation is used for the required yearly update for provide households.

When an R&C worker completes an annual re-evaluation on a provide home, a new foster or adoptive recommendation is completed in iTWIST with “Annual Assessment” as the recommendation Evaluation type.

The report is submitted to the FSOS for approval.

If the home is placed on hold, the status will remain active in iTWIST.

The report for the on hold home must be submitted to the FSOS for approval.

A special recommendation can be used to add/change the home type (advanced status, care plus, or medically complex) or adjust the gender and/or number of children approved for placement.

There is no substitute for annual recertification outside of the annual recertification process. A special assessment can be used to place a home on hold or for closure.

Foot Notes

Footnotes

Administer in the same manner as if completing a SAFE Home Study.

Records management will send email notification to the FSOS and SSW 60 days prior to the anniversary date of original approval.

If a sex offender registry address check indicates a sexual offender is residing in an open foster or adoptive home, the R&C FSOS will be contacted by central office staff in the Division of Protection and Permanency to discuss supporting documentation needed to verify this and to discuss protection measures that might need to be taken regarding any child residing in the home. The home will be closed to further intake until supporting documentation verifies otherwise.

The R&C worker documents in service recordings when issues have been corrected and/or missing items have been completed.

Background checks (AOC and CA/N checks) must continue to be completed and finalized during the anniversary month of the original approval.